The Globe. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1875.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 369, 18 August 1875, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1875.

It is very evident that Sir George Grey and the Opposition intend to lose no chance of preventing the passage of the Abolition Bill. For two hours last night the time of the House was taken up with arguments as to an alleged informality in the introduction of the measure. In vain the Speaker assured the House that " the proceed- " ings as far as they had gone, so far " as the Abolition Bill was concerned, " were perfectly correct." Sir George Grey, Messrs Fitzherbert, and Header Wood all fancied, they had a strong point against proceeding with the debate, and they reiterated their opinions in spite of the Speaker's ruling. Mr Stafford was, of course, on the side of the Speaker, and it would appear that he had made himself acquainted with precedents, taken from the practice of the House of Commons, for proceeding with the Bill in the same manner in which the Government was doing. But the Opposition was not to be convinced, and consequently Mr Sheehan moved a resolution which would have put off the already lingering debate for another day. This motion was, however, negatived on the voices, and the Abolition debate was to be resumed at 7.30 last evening. It is idle to suppose that the objections raised on purely technical grounds, and overruled, as each was brought forward, by the Speaker, were introduced for any other purpose than that of delay. No one will credit the honorable gentlemen composing the Opposition with such a love for the Standing Orders of the Assembly that it would compel them to make technical objections to the passing of any measure, however good. The whole affair was one which does not reflect credit on the opponents of the Bill, and the decided disinclination to bow to the Speaker's ruling, evinced by men who ought to have been more conversant with Parliamentary practice, was very justly complained of by Major Atkinson. Sir George Grey was the principal offender in this respect, and in his final appeal to the members on the Government benches he declared that as he was new to the House he did not know the proper forms to be pursued ! And yet the honorable gentleman, not knowing these forms, rises to protest against an infringement of them, and opposes the Speaker's ruling on a subject of which he has declared his ignorance. Can any reasonable person contend that after such an admission as this Sir George could have raised his objections except for the purpose of delay ? We think not, and if this is the case the opponents of the measure must feel the weakness of their cause, or they would not stoop to such a line of conduct. No division list was ever altered by such arguments as were used yesterday by the Opposition. It remains to be seen if the Government may not find a few doubtful voters finally coming over to their side in consequence of the tactics adopted by the Provincialist party yesterday.